NAFDAC shuts down bakery for using unfortified sugar, others

The National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has closed down a bakery for using unfortified sugar and banned bromate in Sokoto.

The NAFDAC State Coordinator, Mr. Garba Adamu, told the newsmen on Friday that the bakery was detected during a special raid by agency officials.

“We discovered that the bakery was using saccharine, an unregistered foreign sugar, as a sweetener along with banned bromate in their productions.

“The items were seized for destruction, and the bakery is shut down until it complies with regulations and directives,” he said.

Adamu emphasised that only fortified registered sugar containing vitamin ‘A’ with micronutrients and other vitamins is allowed to be sold and consumed in Nigeria.

”This is a federal government policy enforced by NAFDAC and other government agencies to ensure that consumers get the maximum nutritional and other health benefits from the produced products.

”Six other bakeries were also sanctioned for poor hygiene as enforcement officers led by Mr. Buhari Manzo scaled up the routine inspection visits to bakeries across the state.

”Bakeries are monitored to ensure that they don’t use saccharine or other banned items as a substitute for fortified regulated ingredients,” Adamu said.

The coordinator cautioned producers against using adulterated, counterfeit, unregistered, and expired items in their places, reiterating that NAFDAC would continue the enforcement at all times.

Adamu said the operation would be extended to local government areas as part of the agency’s efforts to ensure that hygienic foods are being sold and that the right products are in circulation.

He called on the general public to be wary of patronising unregistered products and always report any suspicious practices or contaminations to NAFDAC, and he reiterated the agency’s continued efforts to safeguard the health of the nation.